Automatically controlled windshield wiping systems typically detect the presence of a liquid or a solid coating on the windshield of a vehicle. Depending on the type and quantity of coating present on the windshield, the wiper system is activated to clean the windshield, operating in either an intermittent mode, wherein a varying time delay is inserted between consecutive wipes, or a continuous mode, wherein there is no time delay between consecutive wipes.
Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,689,536, issued to Iyoda, 4,705,998, issued to Millerd et al., 4,720,664, issued to Iwamoto et al., 4,740,735, issued to Hayashi, and 4,916,374, issued to Schierbeek et al.